Friday, August 18, 2006

I accepted a challenge that Penguin posted because it seemed fun and even more so it sounded like an interesting way to express how I feel about myself. I didn't realize just what a challenge it was going to be!

It sounded simple enough...Go here and look through random quotes until you find 5 that you think reflect who you are or what you believe. I actually found about 100 but had to narrow it down to 5 so here they are: (unless I amend this later)

There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.George Matthew Adams

Have the courage to be ignorant of a great number of things, in order to avoid the calamity of being ignorant of everything.Sydney Smith(1771 - 1845)

Say what men may, it is doctrine that moves the world. He who takes no position will not sway the human intellect.William Thayer Shedd

He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

This little guy had a rough weekend and ended up going to the emergency vet office Sunday night. He is having an issue with his prostate (of all things)! We returned home Sunday afternoon after going out for a while in search of a kitchen cart (what a chore) and returned home to blood all over the place. We first thought the dog-boys had been in a fight or something! So we checked them all and they were all fine so we actually started to think that someone had broken into the house and that the alarm had failed to work. Once we had check all over to make sure there wasn't a wounded intruder hiding Dan took all three boys outside and when Bentley went to pee it was straight blood! We called the emergency vet and Dan took him in right away. It was a few hours and $143.00 dollars later that we learned it is his prostate. He is on a antibiotic for the next ten days and then will follow up with our regular vet office. Prays and positive energy would be greatly appreciated!

It seems like I have so much going on right now! First of all we never did make it to Gig Harbor. Dan ended up having to go in for a briefing Saturday morning and so that day was pretty much shot. Then on Sunday we became really involved in cleaning and yard work. I suppose that was actually a good thing because we ended up weeding, laying weed barrier and mulching the rose garden in the back yard.

We also spoke with the new owner of the house next door. The same one who tore our retaining wall down last April while Dan was deployed and then made a half ass attempt to rebuild it. He has rented out the house next door was there fixing the front porch because it seems the people renting were complaing about it. Anyway, after everything they didn't (tearing down our wall, killing my plants, and stealing my tree) it seems he has run out of money now! What does that mean? That means everything he put me through was for nothing! He doesn't have the money to continue with the building of the 6 new homes beside us so he is planning the sell everything. The empty lot that he cleared and cut down ALL the trees to make room for more homes and the house next door that he only bought to be able to widen the sewage line to service the new homes. Karma can be a funny (or not so funny) thing.

I would also like to point out that The Pagan Sojourn has something very intresting going on right now and everyone should check it out!

The photo used in this post was taken by my dear friend Raul and more of his amazing photograpy can be seen here.

Friday, August 11, 2006

I am so happy that the weekend is here. Since Dan doesn't have duty this weekend we might actually be able to attend this Faire in Gig Harbor. His crazy work along with everything else going on has kept us home for a while now. My husband though he may seem a bit creepy here is really a wonderful guy. He came home with roses this week for no reason at all. That might not seem like such a big deal but to me it is.In just a little over a week his bother is coming to visit us here in Washington. I am really happy that they are going to see each other before David leaves for boot camp. He just recently join the Navy (following in the footsteps of his older brother) and will be leaving before long. Before he arrives we do have a few more small things to finish up around here because I know our minds won't be on work during his visit.

I have updated the Divintaion page and started a list of all forms. This idea came from not being able to find one place with a complete and comprehensive list of all forms. I still have a long way to go but this is a start.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

I am ashamed of the fact that I have seriously neglected this blog over the last several months. However, it was all for the greater good. As of yesterday the work on our home was finally completed. It is unfortunate that some things were put aside while the work was in progress but we are so happy with the end result. Now our normal daily life can resume and we can sit back and relax...for today. I'm sharing a before and after photo and as you can (hopefully see) drastic changes have taken place. We knew when we bought the house a little over a year ago that there was work involved but we also felt that doing that work would make the home feel special and our own. So here it is..1 new roof, 5 new skylights, all new gutters, 1 new storm door, 1 new garage door, 1 new red front door and freshly painted trim!! This is just on the outside. We have also replaced the kitchen floor and yes we did it with out hiring someone to come and do it for it us.

Now with that all behind us I will continue with all the many project that were in the works when this began.

The first photo is the "before" the next is the "after" the last two are of the new floor we installed. Click on the image to enlarge it.